The Four Knives Your Kitchen Needs

Also known as the cook’s knife (whatever suits your fancy), this is the most important knife in the kitchen. Typically it’s an 8-to-10 inch knife with a longer blade that makes chopping easy and efficient. You can slice and dice veggies, fish, and meats.

Pro Tip: When transferring your chopped veggies into the pan, use the spine (or back) of the knife to avoid dulling the blade.

This is the Chef’s Knife’s best friend. It’s perfect for slicing and mincing produce that’s too small for the Chef’s Knife. Think: mincing garlic, hulling strawberries, and peeling fruits and veggies. 

Pro tip: Avoid using this knife on hard-to-cut veggies like carrots and celery root.

You already know this knife as the bread knife. But, it can be more versatile than that. Bread Knives are great for gripping and cutting through foods with slippery, waxy surfaces. Think: Tomatoes, pineapples, citrus fruits, and peppers. These essentials are best used for slicing, not chopping.

Pro Tip: When using this knife to cut bread, keep the blade at a 45 degree angle for a smooth, crumb-free slice. 

This knife does exactly what you would expect. It’s the best blade for boning fish, meat, or poultry. Just remember: it’s not used to cut through the bones, but rather cut around them.

Pro tip: When cutting raw poultry, meat, or seafood, make sure to chop all other ingredients on a separate cutting board to keep harmful bacteria from forming.